Brown asks Doolittle for Debate Dates

By: Gus Thomson
Auburn Journal Staff Writer

Challenger Charlie Brown wants U.S. Rep. John Doolittle to commit to dates and locations to promised debates -- a task a spokesman for the congressman said Wednesday will be completed in due time.Doolittle, R-Rocklin, agreed last month to square off with Democrat Brown in at least one debate. Brown sent a letter this week saying it's time to schedule a series of them.

Brown's suggestions, made available this week, are for a town hall meeting in Auburn on Aug. 15 to start the series. Others would follow in Grass Valley, El Dorado County, Quincy, Roseville and South Lake Tahoe.Brown, a retired Air Force colonel who lives in Roseville, said in his letter to Doolittle that because the House is out of session for district work and campaigning between now and Sept 1, and Oct. 6 is listed as the targeted adjournment date for Congress, potential scheduling opportunities are now open.

Brown added that he hasn't heard from the congressman since Doolittle responded July 11 that his office would contact the Democrat challenger once the congressional schedule has been set.Doolittle campaign spokesman Richard Robinson said Wednesday that the congressman stands by his commitment to debate Brown before the election."

He looks forward to hear Charlie Brown's explanation on how a card-carrying American Civil Liberties Union member, who supports higher taxes, gay marriage and amnesty for illegal immigrants plans to gain voters' support," Robinson said.Brown said he's looking forward to highlighting differences between the two candidates."Every day, I speak with constituents of all political stripes who are frustrated that they never see their congressman," Brown said.

"Worst of all, when they do see him, it's either because of a corruption story that runs in the newspaper, or a private gathering at which he tells them to go hire a lobbyist."Robinson said Brown's campaign isn't resonating with voters in the district, and the challenger has resorted to posturing for media attention on issues that have already been well-covered in the past.

"If anything they should have learned from the last election is that these types of smear tactics don't work," Robinson said. "John Doolittle has represented the area for a total of 26 years and voters know him as hard-working and honest."The two sides have also fired salvos over a fundraising ad by the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee that shows flag-draped coffins of American troops.

Doolittle has called on Brown to refuse any funding from the committee. A Brown spokesman said Doolittle needs to examine his own funding sources first."This despicable ad is designed to raise funds for candidates across the country including my opponent," Doolittle stated. "Exploiting our soldiers to capitalize financially is unconscionable."

Doolittle said the only honorable thing for Brown to do is to denounce the ads and "pledge he won't take a dime" from the committee.Brown's campaign replied that the images are inappropriate in partisan political advertising -- but in a direct attack on Doolittle, added that he also believes "it is inappropriate for federal lawmakers to take hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from indicted congressional bribers, while funneling 15 percent of the proceeds into their personal household coffers."

The Brown statement refers to fundraising commissions Doolittle's wife has received and which he has defended as legal and ethical. Doolittle and a political action committee he controls have received funding from sources that include Jack Abramoff and San Diego business owners linked to a congressional bribery case the congressman has not been directly linked to.

Doolittle has said the donations were lawful and he has declined to return the money or give it to charity, as some other congressmen have done with similar donations.Brown spokesman Todd Stenhouse said the challenger's campaign has received no funding from the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee."Charlie Brown will give back funding from the DCCC if Doolittle will give back the money he's received from indicted congressional bribers," Stenhouse said.

The Journal's Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.